The expanded K-8 Eliot School announced two weeks ago by the School Department and pushed for by Mayor Thomas Menino and the Eliot School Family Council comes as great news to this neighborhood.
The Eliot School, under the direction of Principal Traci Griffith, has become one of the best public schools in Boston and the waiting list of over 300 tends to prove this.
The school currently has 322 students.
The Eliot expansion is made possible by a $11.35 million building and cash swap between the North Bennet Street School and the city and several other parcels. This swap will allow the NBSS to consolidate and to expand its programs in the neighborhood.
The Eliot School has been designated an Innovation School which allows for it to operate with a greater eye toward making more substantial gains as an educational institution.
Although Mayor Menino led the charge on this wonderful turn of events, State Representative Aaron Michlewitz, City Councillor Sal LaMattina, State Senator Anthony Petruccelli, and co-chairs Israel Ruiz and Carolina Garcia helped out in a big, big way.
Retaining young families in this neighborhood is important business.
Now young families and families with school age children will have the option of the Eliot School as an inducement to stick around and get a solid education for their children in a first rate public school.
Make no mistake, this is about the biggest thing to happen in this neighborhood with regard to public school education in the past 50 years.
We applaud the mayor’s efforts in this instance. This is what leadership in the city of Boston is all about.
And we thank School Superintendent Carol Johnson, she too, has played a key role.
Ruiz and Garcia cannot be thanked enough for their powerful exercise of what is right and just for the children of this neighborhood when it comes to public school education.
What the Eliot School victory shows is that here and there, Charlestown is another positive example, is that public school education in this neighborhood, is coming to a place where it ought to be.
Thank you, Mayor Menino.
Thank you Traci Griffith.